


The Outside Point of View

by LitGal



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Episode: s02e06 Trinity, M/M, Project Arcturus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-21
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-08 05:23:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 17,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5485202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LitGal/pseuds/LitGal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Arcturus literally blew up in Rodney's face, he didn't know how to make it right. So he swallowed his pride and reached out to Samantha Carter for help.  Sam knows Rodney better than he understands. She decides to send him not only what he asks for, but what he really needs.  After all, if these people don't listen to the truth when Rodney speaks it, she'll find someone better at getting the point across.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Tyrel looked up when the colonel walked in the room. Lieutenant-Colonel Samantha Carter. She didn’t look particularly impressive. Blonde, girl next door type, and well preserved for her age. She was tall, but she didn’t look like the sort of person to save the world on a regular basis, and yet she had.

“First Sergeant Brown,” she said with a smile.

“Just call me Tyrel. My military days are over.” Tyrel could have stayed in longer, but after General Anderson retired, he hadn’t wanted to break in a new general. Tyrel was proud of his work, but every time he had a new boss, he had to figure out how to work around a new ego and train a new staff and the thought of being assigned to a newly promoted general was more than he could take. Inevitably they still acted like colonels, trying to keep their finger in every pie before utterly burning out and allowing Tyrel to finally step in and protect them from themselves. At least that’s how the good generals handled promotions. The bad ones played golf. Besides, keeping his private life away from his job was endangering both. It had been time.

“Tyrel,” Colonel Carter said as she took a seat across the conference table. “I appreciate you coming.”

“I haven’t turned down a request for assistance yet.”

“I know.” Carter smiled again, and Tyrel was starting to worry. Officers weren’t this differential or hesitant unless something was really wrong. Given the nature of the SGC’s command, a lot could go wrong. A lot had gone wrong, and Tyrel started mentally reviewing every foothold situation the base had ever suffered. General Anderson had argued long and hard for moving the SGC to another planet, but he’d lacked the political power to make it happen. “Have you reviewed the files on Project Arcturus?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Please, call me Sam. I think it’s important for people to remember that you’re a civilian.”

Tyrel frowned. “Okay, Sam.” He ignored the way his gut twisted in discomfort. Thirty years of military protocol weren’t easy to erase, particularly when he respected the woman sitting in front of him. “I’m not sure why you would brief me on this failure. General Anderson’s office wasn’t involved in the decision.”

“Oh, I know,” Carter assured him. “The scientist who advocated for finishing the project…” her words trailed off. 

“Dr. Meredith McKay?” Tyrel prompted her.

She laughed. “Oh no. Do not call him Meredith. He’s Dr. Rodney McKay. He has been on the expedition from day one and joined the flagship exploratory team shortly after that. He’s earned the right to have his first name forgotten.” She sighed. “He took a lot of pride in being on Colonel Sheppard’s team, and in the last communication from Atlantis, he asked me to find him a replacement for SGA1. He wanted a military trained scientist who could shoot and hotwire Ancient equipment. He made it clear that I was his first choice, but that if I wouldn’t come, he wanted me to use my judgment to pick someone because no one on Atlantis had the right skill set.” 

“Do you want administrative assistance in setting up a search?” Tyrel guessed. That was well within his wheelhouse, but the SGC had Chief Master Sergeant Walter Harriman. If there was one sergeant who could run logistics better than Tyrel it was Harriman, not that he would admit that out loud.

Carter shook her head. “No, I’ve already chosen Captain Nejem. She’s shipping out on the Daedalus. I have another concern. Rodney loved being on that team, and this is coming so close on the heels of the Arcturus project that I’m concerned about Rodney.”

“Dr. McKay?” Tyrel clarified. From everything he had read, Dr. McKay was irascible, formidable and perfectly able to take care of himself. It was a little like worrying about a cactus.

“He’s in charge of a scientific community twice the size of the military contingent, and he has no second in command to assist him. He’d doing research, overseeing research, writing reports, attending meetings, and up until three weeks ago, going on away missions.”

“Doesn’t he have a Czech scientist as his second?” Tyrel wasn’t certain because General Anderson had always concerned himself more with the SGC than Atlantis, but Tyrel had seen all the personnel files at least once.

“Radek helps with the science, but Rodney is very bad with people. He tries to drive them away with sarcasm, but when they ask him for something or demand something, he doesn’t know how to tell them no, and he doesn’t have military protocol to protect him.”

That was a familiar story. Tyrel had worked for any number of tyrants who showed much more compassion once people were out the door. They’d refuse a request from a subordinate, only to fight like hell to make that request happen once the subordinate had left. They didn’t want to be seen as weak or to make promises only to break them later. “You want me to take a job on Atlantis,” Tyrel guessed.

Carter nodded. “Yeah. I know your reputation, and you would protect Rodney if things are going wrong.”

“Things such as?”

Carter gave him a grim smile. “I’ve made bigger mistakes than Arcturus. Danny has, General O’Neill has. I would say Teal’c is the only one who hasn’t, but he made enough mistakes before joining us that his hands aren’t clean either. But none of us ever felt like we were being pushed off the team because of them.”

“Are you sure he is being pushed? Maybe he decided this mistake happened because he was trying to do too much.”

Carter shook her head. “Not Rodney. He thinks he's Superman. And the tone of the letter… he’s desperate for his team to have someone good, so he cares about them. But he doesn’t feel like he can keep going out with them. Something is wrong.”

“And you think I can fix it?”

“I know your reputation. You can verbally eviscerate people while being polite about it. You demand perfection and you know enough about the law that you could probably pass the bar exam without a single university class. You worked in some of the most difficult political postings, and you came out with everyone’s respect. I’m asking you to do this as a favor for me.”

That was a low blow. Carter had saved the world more than once, and Tyrel felt that obligation. “I spent ten years not telling anyone about my partner, and I won’t shove him back in a closet.”

“I’ve cleared it for you to take him as a dependent. I understand you were married in DC.”

“Yes, ma’am. Would he have any official standing?”

“No, but there’s local food for trade, and plenty of complaints that the cooks don’t know how to prepare it. If Dr. Weir approves him opening a catering service of some sort or taking charge of the kitchens, she would be able to add him to her payroll.”

“I can’t agree without speaking to him,” Tyrel said. He’d never told Rich about the things that went bump in the night, but even with the Wraith out there, Rich would probably want to go. He was addicted to travel and loved the exotic, and it didn’t get much more exotic than another galaxy. “However, if we do go, what would be the situation with Dr. Weir? Has she requested more staff or has Dr. McKay requested it?” Tyrel got the feeling Colonel Carter was working her own angle here.

“They don’t know.” She confirmed his suspicions. “Don’t let Rodney run you off, and tell him that I sent you to cover his six, and he’ll settle down. As far as Dr. Weir goes, the original charter allowed for a civilian run facility with a structure similar to the SGC. Weir was the leader with Grodin her second in command. When Sumner and then Grodin were killed, she insisted she was keeping Sheppard as her second in command whether or not the Air Force gave him the position, which would have meant that Sheppard would answer to her under the charter and would be under Caldwell if Colonel Caldwell took command.”

“No clear chain of command,” Tyrel said.

“Exactly. And so the Air Force promoted Colonel Sheppard despite the fact that he had very little command experience outside of Atlantis herself. He has held the city together and the military ranks show great loyalty, but Arcturus was the first major disaster under his command.”

“They’d lost people before.” Tyrel had read every report up until two months ago when he’d retired.

“Yes, but Sheppard could look back and say they’d done everything they could. This was the first major mistake his people made. And if he was handling it well, I don’t think Rodney would be requesting a new member for SGA1. And he asked me to not tell Weir or Sheppard until the new person arrives on the Daedalus.” 

“He’s afraid of retribution?” Tyrel asked.

“I don’t know,” Carter said softly, but she was clearly bothered by the idea. “I know how it feels to make a scientific mistake so big that people die, and he deserves a little support. But back to my point with Weir. The charter allows Weir, the military commander, and Rodney to all have seconds. Weir designated Sheppard, Sheppard has Major Lorne, but Radek turned down the offer to be Rodney’s official second, citing the additional paperwork as too onerous. Rodney never chose another.”

“Sheppard certainly doesn’t do Weir’s paperwork,” Tyrel said. Every person had their own style of report writing, and Sheppard’s concise and occasionally irreverent prose was on a minimum of the reports that came out of Atlantis.

“No, but choosing Sheppard was a political move. Sending you is simply fulfilling the requirements of the charter by providing a second to take the administrative load off Rodney. Since Rodney requested I choose a person to take his duties on SGA1, I decided that a lack of available personnel must have limited his choices for a second, and I took care of that detail since I know Rodney is so forgetful when it comes to anything other than stellar equations and decay rates.”

“Colonel Carter,” Tyrel said softly because this clearly meant a lot to her, “I can’t help someone who doesn’t want my help. I could get there and have Dr. McKay send me away within the hour. It’s a lot of money to spend on a long shot.”

Carter gave him a sad smile. “Rodney is not as independent as you think. He blusters and intimidates because he’s sure that everyone will leave him… that they’ll decide he’s not good enough. So he tells them how good he is and then tries to drive them away before he gets attached. The first time I worked with him, I didn’t see it. The second time… I saw the real man. And the real Rodney would cling to his team with both hands if he thought he could. He wants me to join their team when I am the one person he envies most. Deep down under all the lust and insecurity, his jealousy is so great that he hates me—that tells you how bad it is. If I were to show up on the Daedalus and take his spot, it would kill him a little more every single day.”

“But that’s what he asked for.” Tyrel wondered if McKay needed an assistant or a psychiatrist. 

“And that’s why I’m worried,” Carter said. “There aren’t a lot of people I think could stand up to Sheppard and Weir if the situation is as bad as I fear, but I think you could do it.”

Tyrel wanted to say he was retired. He wanted to point out that he had tickets to Japan next month. He wanted to say he’d earned a little rest. Instead he said, “I’ll talk to Rich.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Wow. Atlantis,” Rich whispered as they walked the length of the east pier. Thank god the transporters worked because the main spire had to be a mile away.

“You wanted adventure,” Tyrel pointed out. 

Rich wrapped an arm around Tyrel’s waist. “You delivered. I thought Japan was as far as we could go, but you managed to outdo yourself.” Rich stared around with wide eyes, not even noticing the marines that were trying hard to avert their eyes. Rich and Tyrel had talked, and they’d both decided they were tired of the smell of mothballs. Out, proud, and loud was their new mantra.

Tyrel smiled at Rich.

“What?” Rich asked when he noticed several minutes later.

“I love you.”

“Of course you do,” Rich said with a wink. “How many husbands would follow you to another galaxy?”

Tyrel rolled his eyes. “Please, you would have crawled over my body do get a spot on the Daedalus, so coming to Atlantis was not a sacrifice.”

“Maybe,” Rich said. “I still can’t believe we’re here.” And with that, he turned his attention back to the spires. The first structure they reached was not nearly as impressive on the inside. There were salt stains marking the high water level of some flood and the windows were stained with soot or seaweed or something black and smudgy. Of course, this was a forward operating base, so military cleanliness did tend to suffer. Tyrel tried to avoid making any snap judgments. 

“Sir, if you would,” a Marine gesture toward a transporter.

“I’m a retired first sergeant, so you can call me Tyrel or Mr. Brown—”

“But don’t call you sir?” the marine finished for him.

“That’s right, Lance Corporal…” Tyrel let his voice trail off. Unlike most bases, these people did not have their names on their uniforms.

“Patel,” the man offered. “I hear you’re supposed to ride herd on McKay.”

There was a gleefulness there that Tyrel hadn’t expected. “Dr. McKay has not been provided with the proper staffing to do his paperwork. Since the military has failed to live up to the contract, I took the position,” Tyrel said coldly.

Patel’s expression shut down. He didn’t say a word as he touched the transporter. “You don’t have assigned quarters yet. We’ll head to the Gate room where you can speak to Dr. Weir.”

Tyrel exchanged concern looks with Rich. Rich jumped into the void with his usual good humor. “Does living here ever stop being glorious?” he asked as the door opened onto stained glass and elaborate lettering on a wide sweeping stair.

“After the first few people die, yeah,” the corporal said. “Dr. Weir is at the top of the stairs to your right. Please don’t touch any equipment.”

Tyrel was starting to dislike these people. He put a hand on Rich’s back and encouraged him to head for the stairs. 

“If these assholes break my Avantco mixer while moving it, I’m filing charges,” Rich hissed.

“I’ll help you,” Tyrel said, already regretting taking his job. When they reached the top of the stairs, Tyrel could see into Weir’s office. It was glass, and a woman with honey-colored skin was speaking to her, so Tyrel leaned against the rail and waited.

“So who are you?” A behemoth of a man asked.

Tyrel considered taking offense, but the question sounded more curious than confrontational. “Retired First Sergeant Tyrel Brown. Colonel Carter hired me to handle Dr. McKay’s paperwork. This is my husband, Rich Brown.”

“Hey!” Rich gave their new acquaintance a stunning smile. Tyrel was caught between jealousy that someone else was getting that smile, even though he knew for a fact that no one would ever get more than a smile, and pride that he had managed to land such a perfect partner. He could bring Rich to another galaxy, and the man would make friends. Rich definitely didn’t match the stereotype of a temperamental chef, despite the fact that he had worked at some of the best restaurants in the world.

“I thought you people didn’t believe in crossing swords,” the man said. Tyrel guessed he was Ronon, but he wasn’t going to risk being wrong and offering some sort of offense.

“Crossing swords?” Rich asked. “I’m new in this galaxy, so I don’t understand what that means.”

“When two guys share blankets, it’s called crossing swords. I thought Earth people had some rule against that.”

Tyrel spoke up before Rich could malign the entire armed forces on this issue. “Some people on earth believe that crossing swords is a sin. Rather than upset these people, the American military has a rule that you shouldn’t tell anyone who you share blankets with, and as long as you don’t tell anyone, the military won’t ask. That way the people who think it’s wrong will stay quiet and go away.”

“That’s stupid.”

“Hey, I like him!” Rich said. “It’s very stupid. Who I cross swords with is my business unless my sword crosses your sword and then you might have a right to ask. So, do you live here?”

“Yeah. Ronon. I fight with Sheppard,” he said.

Tyrel had guessed as much. “Is that Teyla Emmagan?” 

Ronon glanced into the office. “Yeah.” He turned and gave Tyrel a suspicious look. “Do you know anything about a new team member coming from earth?”

“Captain Nejem,” Tyrel said. “Colonel Carter personally chose her for her ability to shoot and hot wire Ancient technology.”

Ronon grunted.

“I’m going to be working for Dr. McKay. Do you have any advice on how to handle him?” Tyrel asked. He already had his own plan based on information he’d received from Colonel Carter, but it would help to know how other people in the city saw the doctor.

Ronon shrugged. “Haven’t worked with him long. He’s okay. Talks a lot.”

“I’ve heard,” Tyrel said. “I hear he complains.”

“Yeah, but he gets the job done.” Ronon shifted closer to Weir’s office when Teyla stood.

“Does he work well on your team?”

Ronon looked down at him. Tyrel was six feet tall and a good two hundred and sixty pounds. Most of that was muscle, although Rich had contributed to quite a bit of middle age spread. But not many people could intimidate Tyrel. Ronon just happened to be one of those who could. “Seems stupid to risk someone that smart in a fight, but he can handle his own and the rest of us can keep him alive,” he said fiercely. 

“I’m sure you can.”

“Don’t need someone new.”

“Actually, you do. Dr. McKay requested that Carter send someone because he wants to stay in the city.”

That seemed to take some of the wind out of Ronon’s sails. He glared at Tyrel for a minute before turning his attention back to Weir’s office. Teyla was coming out now with an unhappy expression.

“Ronon,” she said briefly as he passed him. Ronon fell in beside her.

“Interesting,” Rich said softly. “He’s hot in a growly, scared to wake up with a knife in your back sort of way.”

“I think he’s more a knife in the front sort of guy,” Tyrel said.

Rich snorted, but before he could say anything, Dr. Weir was standing at her office door. “First Sergeant Brown?” she asked with a pinched smile that was as plastic as any Tyrel had seen on politicians in the last twenty years.

“Yes, ma’am, although it’s just Mr. Brown or Tyrel these days. The military and I parted terms amicably, but I don’t choose to live my life according to the military code of conduct, so I discourage people from using my rank.” Tyrel walked to her and offered his hand.

She shook it, her face still perfectly plastic as she gestured toward her office. “Mr. Brown, then. I understand you’ve had a long journey.”

“Long and boring,” he agreed. He’d joked with Rich that they’d have kinky sex the whole way here, but with the narrow bunks, the journey had been filled with reviewing legal documents, mission files, and a few awkward blow jobs that typically ended with one of them getting head trauma on a metal bunk frame. Whoever had designed the ship was a sadist who admired submarine interiors.

“Unfortunately, you will have an equally long journey back. I’ve asked Colonel Caldwell to keep your personal effects on the Daedalus for the return trip. I am sorry you have been inconvenienced, and if Colonel Carter had spoken to me ahead of time, I assure you, I would have spared you the journey.”

“I will need to speak with Dr. McKay about that. He has a right to an administrative second.”

“I know his rights, but Rodney is not good at working with others.”

“And I shall talk to him and find that out for myself,” Tyrel said firmly. He was used to dealing with people who had a lot more power, but Tyrel had the law and the Atlantis charter on his side. 

“This is not a good time.”

“Then I’ll wait until it is a good time, and if the Daedalus has to leave, then I will catch a ride back on another trip,” Tyrel said firmly. He’d anticipated this response, which is why he and Rich had packed extra clothing and supplies in the official science department deliveries. He wasn’t about to get out maneuvered by a politician.

Weir’s gaze slid over to where Rich waited outside her office. “I understand you have clearance because of your work with General Anderson, but I cannot have unauthorized personnel in the city.”

“Rich has cooked for the President. He has prepared meals for most of the generals and at least half the US Senate.” That was how Tyrel had met him. Rich was good natured and laughing and still able to run a kitchen with military efficacy, and Tyrel had admired that. He’d handled Rich’s flirting with a little less aplomb, but then being in the military had consequences, the first among them was hiding his sexuality. “Rich has been vetted more thoroughly than most of your staff, Dr. Weir. That is not exaggeration, but a simple statement of truth.”

Based on the flicker of frustration that crossed her face, Tyrel concluded that Dr. Weir knew that already.

“If you want me on the Daedalus when she leaves, the most prudent course is to allow Dr. McKay to make that request, and I will only listen to his orders after I have spoken to him face to face. I do not want to make waves here, but there are certain protocols.”

“Protocols,” Dr. Weir said like it was a dirty word.

“Decades in the military did instill a certain respect for protocol and legal procedure. Legally I am Dr. McKay’s second until he chooses to fire me.” Tyrel didn’t add that Dr. Weir had no authority over him only because he hoped to maintain some modicum of respect in their relationship and being overly confrontational would not achieve that.

She gave him a sharp smile. “Fine. Major Lorne,” she called.

An Air Force major stepped into the office. “Dr. Weir?”

“Please escort Mr. Brown to Rodney’s lab.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he answered, all military spit and polish in place. Tyrel hadn’t expected that in a forward operating base. Usually the starch wore off around frontlines and civilians. 

Tyrel stood. “Nice to meet you, Dr. Weir,” he said with his most diplomatic smile.

The smile she offered was a little less brittle. “I wish it was under better circumstances,” she said, “but welcome to Atlantis. I hope you get a chance to look around before the Daedalus leaves.”

That was an unnecessary dig. Tyrel just nodded at her and turned toward Major Lorne. This was the officer who had tried to temper Colonel Martin Edwards’ worst command decisions on that Unas world with the naquadah mines. Tyrel couldn’t remember the planet designation, but he remembered that it was Major Lorne’s first mission as a major, his first mission off world, and he’d been assigned to an overly aggressive colonel who had nearly started a war with local unas because he’d refused to listen to Dr. Daniel Jackson, the galaxy’s expert on unas behavior.

How interesting that General O’Neill had sent him.

“This way, sir,” Lorne said with a gesture.

“I’m a retired First Sergeant, so please, call me Tyrel or if you insist on something more formal, Mr. Brown.”

Lorne gave him a surprised look. “You don’t use your rank?”

Tyrel smiled at Rich, who immediately moved to his side. “I’m outside the code of conduct, so I would rather avoid it,” Tyrel said.

Lorne’s eyes got large as he watched Rich slip a possessive arm around Tyrel’s waist. Just when Tyrel feared there might be a problem, Lorne smiled at him. “Good for you,” he said. “Dr. McKay’s lab is this way, gentlemen.”


	3. Chapter 3

Tyrel took a chance that Major Lorne hadn’t been on Atlantis long enough to be in the hive mind. “I get the feeling that my presence isn’t appreciated,” he said once they came out of the transporter in another part of the city. That was never going to get old.

“It’s been awkward around here,” Lorne said before falling silent.

“In general or are people upset that Dr. McKay requested new personnel?”

Lorne’s flinch said it all.

Tyrel kept his voice neutral. “His request for a science trained military asset for a frontline team is, arguably, the most logical choice he’s made.”

“Probably,” Lorne said, but he didn’t sound like he meant it.

Lorne was SGC through and through, so Tyrel took a chance. He caught Lorne by the arm and stopped him so they stood face to face. “Colonel Carter sent me because she’s concerned about what’s going on in the science department. Should she be? Should I get back on the ship and promise her that everything is fine, that Dr. Weir and Major Lorne both assure me that I’m not needed?”

Lorne had looked ready to argue until Tyrel added the last part. That made him wilt. Lorne might be willing to cover for his superiors, but he wouldn’t lie to Colonel Carter. Instead he offered a weak, “I’m sure it will get back to normal.”

“Really? With McKay off the frontline team, you think it will all blow over?”

Lorne shook his head. “The colonel won’t let Rodney walk away. I mean, McKay’s an arrogant ass and I would never want to go on a mission with him, but the colonel knows how to handle him.”

“And will Dr. McKay choose to go out with Colonel Sheppard when he knows there’s an Air Force captain with Colonel Carter’s personal seal of approval waiting to take his spot on the team?”

Lorne laughed. “Dr. McKay knows he’s better than anyone Carter could send. Hell, he thinks he’s better than Carter herself.”

“Better in a lab, sure. Will he believe he’s better in the field than a trained military officer?”

Lorne looked less sure when Tyrel put the question that way.

“Carter sent me to have his back. So tell me, what am I walking into?”

Lorne gave him a desperate look and then he looked at Rich.

“Oh no,” Rich said, “I am not here. I am not here like how I am not there when ambassadors and presidents get loose lips over my chocolate mousse and say things I definitely don’t have clearance for. By the way, I knew about aliens long before anyone read me into the program, but I couldn’t officially know because I only heard about it after a very long dinner and a very tired senator. I am like a sieve with information. In one ear, out the other.”

Lorne still hesitated, and Tyrel settled in to wait him out. Sure enough, Lorne cracked. “Rodney came and talked to me. He asked if military people could work with someone they didn’t trust. I thought there was some problem on another team because it had been weeks since the whole blowing up a solar system, maybe as long as two months after. But I told him that once trust was broken, it was dangerous for a team to go out together because they would second guess each other. I thought he was going to pull Kavanagh off Petalowski’s team.”

“But he didn’t.”

“No. He started finding excuses to avoid Sheppard. First it was wanting the less experienced scientists to get more experience. Then it was some big project he had. About a week ago, they had a huge fight in the mess, and McKay demanded to be off the team, right there in front of everyone.”

This was a disaster. “How did Colonel Sheppard take that?” Tyrel asked.

“About as well as you think,” Lorne said. “There were words said, and McKay told him that if Sheppard couldn’t trust him, they couldn’t be on the team together. The colonel insisted he did trust McKay, but…” Lorne shrugged.

“No one thinks he does?” Tyrel guessed.

“And usually McKay misses any sort of interpersonal conflict, but apparently when they were on an Ancient warship, the colonel hesitated in the field and told McKay that he didn’t trust him. It’s hard to miss a hint like that.”

“So they really shouldn’t be on a team together,” Tyrel concluded. Lorne was right that teams required trust, and it sounded like theirs was broken.

“No, I did not say that,” Lorne said fiercely. “McKay’s being a drama queen. Maybe the colonel said that out of anger. McKay doesn’t know when to stop, and the colonel is a saint for putting up with all the whining. However, they’re a good team. McKay has gotten them out of some rough spots. When the colonel got trapped for months in a time dilation field, McKay worked himself non-stop to get him back. Maybe they fight, but they’re still a team.”

Or maybe the colonel was holding onto his best asset by emotionally manipulating him, Tyrel thought to himself. “Maybe they are,” Tyrel said although he doubted it based on how others were reacting. “But my job is to do his paperwork and take the stress off him.”

“Yeah, that might be a good thing,” Lorne said as he started down the hall again.

“This place is a little empty,” Rich said.

“Most of the science department has labs in the next tower,” Lorne said.

Physical isolation. Tyrel wondered if that was McKay’s idea or if the others had given him a hard time. 

“This is Dr. McKay’s lab. I’ll wait here.” Lorne took a step back so he stood with his back to the wall. Tyrel had the definite impression that the major expected him to come right back out. Well, Tyrel had dealt with tougher men than Rodney McKay.

“Keep the major company, Rich,” Tyrel said.

“I’ll torture him with descriptions of my duck tsukune.”

Tyrel laughed. “And the worst part is, the food is just as good as he describes it, and without access to a fresh food market with Earth ingredients, you’ll never taste it,” Tyrel told the major before going into the lab. His first impression was that the space was chaotic, but within a second, he began to see patterns, a line of devices pushed to the center of the table, one large one surrounded by what appeared to be either pieces of it or attachments to it. Dr. McKay sat with his back to the door, typing away on his computer.

“I’m not discussing this again, Colonel!” he snapped. Clearly Tyrel had come at a bad time, but he’d seen worse. He’d worked for worse.

“If you had me running interference and guarding your door, you wouldn’t have to put up with interruptions,” Tyrel said.

McKay whirled around. “Great. Another Marine. Find somewhere else to play.”

“Actually I’m retired Air Force, and Colonel Carter sent me to play here,” Tyrel said. McKay had opened his mouth, probably to insult Tyrel’s parentage, but he stopped.

“Sam sent you?” He sounded bewildered.

“She said you needed someone to handle your office, track paperwork, run interference with morons, and have your six. I’ve spent the last four years working in General Anderson’s office and before that I worked for General O’Shanassy, so I have full access to all Stargate records. I have an excellent memory, I’ve reviewed all guidelines for the operations of Atlantis, and I have reviewed your paperwork from the last year and I have suggestions for improving efficiency and getting you more time to do science.”

“Sam sent you?” McKay asked again. 

“Yes, sir,” Tyrel said gently. “She seemed to think you needed someone to watch your back. She thinks you’re a giant pain in the ass, but she respects you and wants you to know that she’s made far larger mistakes. She says she was just lucky enough to work for a colonel who knew he fucked up regularly instead of the one who had delusions of competence.”

“Sheppard isn’t incompetent,” McKay snapped. “And I don’t need some efficiency expert around here. What I need are plumbers and electricians, but does anyone listen to me? No. They send me fucking secretaries instead.”

“And captains with expertise in shooting things and hotwiring Ancient devices,” Tyrel said. Some people were intimidated by him—whether that was his size or his dark skin or his rank, it didn’t matter. Clearly McKay was not going to be one. Tyrel hadn’t been called a secretary in a good decade. “I’m the best in my business, just like Captain Nejem is the best in hers. Just like you’re the best in yours. So first question, are you attached to this lab or can we move somewhere that I have an office that people have to pass through to get to you? If I’m going to protect your schedule, I’m going to have to actually block people from reaching you.”

“What?” McKay was not the terror Tyrel had been led to expect.

“Office. Now, if this position has some special significance, we can do two things—block this door and give me an adjacent office so people are forced to come through me or I can turn the passage into an office. A few file cabinets, some chain link fencing to keep the back secure, and I can set up my desk outside your door. Moving on to your schedule. I need to know what meetings are required, and then let’s talk about your personnel assets and who you can require to take on tasks that are below your rank.” This was just like training a general, Tyrel thought as he looked around. Given the number of objects in here, it might be easier to set up his office in the corridor rather than move things.

“I don’t need babysitting,” McKay said with growing anger.

“No doubt. None of the generals I worked for needed babysitting; however, they did need help wrangling the morons who tried to demand their attention when it wasn’t appropriate. Colonel Carter has a lieutenant to handle her schedule and Colonel Sheppard has Major Lorne despite the fact that the military contingent is less than half the size of the science staff.” None of that seemed to make much of an impression on McKay. However, McKay was SGC, so Tyrel pulled out his big guns. “Consider me your own personal Walter,” he suggested. From the way McKay’s eyes lit up, that made an impression. Tyrel was fairly sure he had the job.


	4. Chapter 4

Tyrel dragged himself out of bed.

“Oh for god’s sake,” Rich muttered. “Go shoot someone.”

“I might.” Tyrel pulled on his robe and dragged himself to the door. When it opened, the indistinct voice became entirely too clear.

“Rodney, open this door!” Sheppard yelled. He pounded on it a few more times before running his hand over the chimes, not that they worked.

“Colonel, can I help you?” Tyrel asked blearily.

Sheppard gave him a dirty look. “I’m here to talk to Rodney and you’re off duty.”

Tyrel leaned against the door frame. “Yes, but you’re screaming outside my personal quarters, and my husband requested that I shoot you so he can get some sleep already.”

A flash of guilt passed over Sheppard’s face. “Rodney is not answering the comms and his door chime isn’t working.”

“His comms are routed to me unless there’s an emergency and I don’t take a radio to bed with me. And as for his chimes, he disabled them after the hundredth time someone thought it was funny to ring his bell and run away in the middle of the night. The man has to sleep at some point.”

“Yeah, well he’s not sleeping now. He’s avoiding me.” Sheppard pounded on the door again.

“Or he’s wearing the ear plugs I brought him from Earth,” Tyrel said drily. If looks could kill, Sheppard’s glare would have left bloody bits of Tyrel’s body strewn all over the room. “Can I help you with something?” 

“None of my men have hot water. I reported this yesterday, and still nothing.”

Tyrel stared at Sheppard. In thirty years, he’d heard some stupid shit, but this left him speechless. “Are you trying to wake the head of science to fix your bathroom?” He had to have heard that wrong.

Sheppard’s expression turned cold. “I expect Rodney to do his damn job.”

“And his job is to fix your bathroom?” Tyrel didn’t even try to rein in his sarcasm—it was too damn late to be polite.

“His job is to make sure the city works.”

“Is it sinking?”

Sheppard crossed his arms and glared.

“If it isn’t, that’s because the only two technicians who are certified in pipe repair are working on the ballast system, which has a slow leak. I got your complaint about the hot water, but since we are a forward operating base in a militarized zone, I assumed you would be fine with cold showers for a while, so I didn’t put your bathroom down on my emergency list or discuss this with Dr. McKay. Should I wake up the man with two PhDs, who is responsible for the upkeep of nuclear generators and ask him to fix your bathroom?”

Sheppard’s face was so red that Tyrel was fairly sure he was going to stroke out. Eventually Sheppard just changed the subject. “Who’s ringing his bell in the middle of the night?” Yes, misdirection and avoidance—two classic methods for evading responsibility.

Tyrel crossed his arms over his chest. “Other than you?”

“Answer the question,” Sheppard barked.

“I don’t know. The Air Force runs the security around here, so I’m sure you could find that answer faster than I can. Can I help you with anything else, Colonel?”

Sheppard turned and stomped away, all his bad mood on display for the world to see. With a sigh, Tyrel stepped back into the room and pressed the button to close the door. 

“That was pleasant,” Rich said quietly.

Tyrel slipped back into bed next to him. “The man is a walking neurosis.” 

“I can see he’s made a good impression on you.”

“The whole command staff has,” Tyrel said wearily. When Carter asked for a favor, she made it a doozy.

“Carson’s nice.”

“Did you read the report on the Hoff virus? And he’s testing gene therapy on humans with no FDA approval. I’m starting to wonder if breaking regulations is some sort of religious tenant around here.”

Rich kissed his shoulder. “And we do know how you love regulations.”

“Hey, I’m not that bad.” Tyrel wrapped his arms around Rich and pulled him close.

“Yes you are. You don’t want them calling you Sergeant Brown because it offends the holy red tape gods that you’re openly gay. God forbid you be out and associated with the military.”

“The regulations don’t apply to me anymore,” Tyrel said defensively. After a moment of silence, he asked, “Does it bother you?”

“Not even a little. So tomorrow Teyla offered to take me to the mainland for a cooking demonstration with her people. If Sheppard shows up to pilot us, should I fake a broken ankle to avoid him?”

Tyrel sighed. “He’s not dangerous. He just wants what he wants.”

“When he wants it,” Rich finished for him. “He’s a bit obnoxious that way.”

“Because Dr. McKay ran himself ragged trying to fill every request. He might complain, but he does so much complaining that he dilutes his voice when it comes to real problems. I don’t think the colonel even stopped to think about how much this job was costing the doctor.”

“Oh, he’ll think now,” Rich said. He shifted around and rested his cheek on Tyrel’s shoulder before falling silent. Within minutes, Rich’s breathing had grown slow and steady in sleep. Tyrel wasn’t as lucky. He stared at the ceiling wondering how to sort this mess out. He also wondered why Carter hated him enough to drop him into this quagmire.


	5. Chapter 5

Tyrel took a deep breath outside Weir’s office before heading into the lion’s den. “Dr. Weir? You asked to see me?” And if she was getting him out of the way so Colonel Sheppard could hunt down Dr. McKay, she was going to be disappointed. The second Tyrel told Dr. McKay about Sheppard’s late night visit, he’d grabbed his tools and headed for the plumbing system. The man charged with reverse engineering Wraith and Ancient technology was climbing through bathroom plumbing so soldiers could have hot water.

Atlantis ran like a lunatic asylum.

“Mr. Brown. Please, come in,” Dr. Weir said with a gesture toward the guest chairs. Her smile did not reach her eyes, and as Tyrel sat, her expression turned more stern. “The Daedalus is leaving in a few hours, and Colonel Caldwell informs me that you have requested all your personally items be delivered to the city.”

“Since Dr. McKay is retaining my services, I decided I needed my underwear here,” Tyrel said. If Dr. Weir wanted to go for pissy, he could respond in kind. Tiptoeing around egos never did work well. From the way her lips thinned, he was guessing she wasn’t used to being challenged in her own kingdom.

“Allow me to be blunt,” she said. 

When she didn’t continue, Tyrel assumed his participation was required, so he said, “Please, do.”

“You arrived here four days ago, and in that time, the city repairs have slowed dramatically, the science department is up in arms about this memo you sent out, and Colonel Sheppard is asking for sanctions against three members of the civilian staff because you asked him to involve himself in a sophomoric prank carried out by men who are under more stress than you can understand.” She raised her eyebrows and stared at him.

“I’m glad to know it was civilians and not military people harassing Dr. McKay,” Tyrel said. If the bad feelings had infected the military side of the city, Tyrel would have needed to get more direct with Colonel Sheppard, and he didn’t see that ending well. He was also glad to hear the colonel took the harassment seriously and wanted it addressed.

Weir leaned forward. “That’s all you have to say?”

“The repairs slowed because non-emergency repairs were being dealt with by Drs. McKay and Zelenka. They are both foremost experts in alien technology and their time is most appropriate spent on research or emergency situations. Hot water is neither. And by having both men rested, if the desalinization or ZPM containment systems fail, they will be more prepared to address the problems. If you want a faster response time on non-emergency repairs, I will work with Dr. McKay to prepare a list of technical staff that would speed up that process.”

“So we just hire more people?” Dr. Weir asked in a cold voice. “And when we have expended our entire budget on salaries, how to we provide for all these people? Should I tell Colonel Sheppard we can no longer afford ammunition for his weapons? Should we forgo the small touches from home, the coffee or chocolate that has to be shipped across light years at a staggering cost? When we have no supplies and morale is at an all-time low, will you cling to your procedures then?” 

Dr. Weir was good, Tyrel gave her that. She’d spotted his weakness and knew how to inspire guilt, but he had been dealing with politicians for long enough to smell the bullshit when it hit him in the face. “If you cannot afford appropriate supplies, the logical course would be to downsize either the military or civilian population.”

“Is that what you’re trying to do with this memo? Drive civilians off the city?” Weir demanded. She threw a piece of paper across the desk. Tyrel ignored it since he already knew the contents.

“Section heads are paid to review the work of subordinates and provide direction. If they fail to complete those tasks, it will be noted on formal evaluations. The entire science department cannot use Dr. McKay as a proofreader for their faulty math. If incorrect equations rise to the level of his office, there will be an official note of that.”

Weir slapped her hands down on the desk. “I chose Rodney because he can spot those errors in ten minutes where it takes another scientist a week. This is endangering the entire scientific community on Atlantis.”

Tyrel calmed his nerves and locked down his own emotions. “So you privilege their scientific progress over that of Dr. McKay?”

“It’s ten minutes of his time.”

“He has two hundred staff under him. If only one quarter of them turned in a faulty report each week, that’s nine hours of Dr. McKay’s time spent fixing errors that these scientists or their immediate supervisors could have fixed themselves. Frankly, I think the percentage who are turning in faulty reports is actually higher. Dr. McKay is losing entire days checking people’s math homework instead of researching the Wraith culling beam or improving the city shield.”

Dr. Weir chuckled. “Samantha Carter is determined to have the scientific staff here militarized, isn’t she?”

Tyrel relaxed his body and leaned back. “Not at all.”

“Perhaps she didn’t tell you the entire plan or perhaps her superiors are pulling the strings,” Dr. Weir said, “but this sudden concern from the SGC is nothing more than a ploy. They sent Rodney to Siberia. Colonel Carter actually requested his transfer. And once they use you to prove Rodney is incompetent, they’ll send him back there. I know your game.”

“Dr. Weir, you don’t know my game at all.” Tyrel stood. “I have worked for generals, so I understand how to manage genius. I know how single minded they can get. I promise you that I have only one goal here, and that is to protect Rodney McKay’s position. Until he fires me, I will continue to do that, whether I have to go up against the SGC or you. Dr. McKay is not a pipe layer. He is not a math tutor. He is an astrophysicist, and I will not put inappropriate requests though to his desk any more than I would ask you to wash dishes.”

Tyrel walked out. Now if he could find his boss and drag him away from the broken Ancient hot water heater, he might even follow through on that promise.


	6. Chapter 6

“Weir to McKay, Doctor, have you forgotten our meeting?” Dr. Weir’s tone was so sharp that it practically cut Tyrel’s ear. Thank god Rodney hadn’t heard it.

“Dr. Weir, this is Mr. Brown. I don’t have you on Dr. McKay’s schedule for this morning. Which meeting are you referencing?” He kept his voice as smooth as honey only because it annoyed her more. 

“Mr. Brown, I requested contact with Dr. McKay.”

“As I’ve informed you, all Dr. McKay’s calls redirect to me, Dr. Weir. I keep his schedule and if you tell me what meeting Dr. McKay is missing, I will make sure to enter it into his schedule and I will ensure he attends. That is my job.”

There was a long silence, and Tyrel wondered if she was cursing him out or talking to the others at the weekly meeting. This had to be uncomfortable for Radek, but he’d been gleefully supportive. Despite the fact that everyone said McKay’s behavior had been particularly vicious toward Radek, he was McKay’s staunchest supporter. He’d actually enjoyed throwing wrenches in Weir’s unprofessional campaign of terror. Okay, it was unfair to call it terror, but she was trying to shame Rodney, and Colonel Sheppard was right there with her half the time. The other half he was staring at Rodney with wounded eyes, and Tyrel was trying hard to ignore what that might mean.

“Mr. Brown, there is a weekly meeting of all department heads. I need Rodney here.”

“This is the meeting to schedule gate teams, correct?” Tyrel asked.

“Yes.”

“That is a non-command staff meeting. Radek Zelenka has all pertinent information. The command staff meeting for delegating resources and identifying problems is still scheduled for two Tuesdays from tomorrow, correct?” Tyrel tapped the edge of his computer and tried to keep the smirk off his face. 

“I would like Rodney here for this meeting,” Weir said, her voice tense.

“I’m sorry, but that is not part of Dr. McKay’s job description. He is currently busy with other projects. I’m sure Dr. Zelenka can advise you on gate teams.”

And if he couldn’t, Tyrel couldn’t care. These people had the world’s foremost expert on Ancient technology and they were sending him to trade for grain. That might be worth it to create a cohesive team, but Tyrel failed to see why he should send his boss to get emotionally shredded just so Colonel Sheppard could feel justified in his contempt. There was a click and the radio went dead. So much for common courtesy toward him.

Luckily Rich found the whole drama amusing. He called it better than a soap opera and then proceeded to make Teyla Emmagan his new best friend—one willing to introduce him to all their allies where he could try exotic food and give himself food poisoning so bad that he’d thrown up all over Dr. Carson’s floor. Carson assumed that would slow Rich’s enthusiasm for exotic meals, but Tyrel knew better. Rich had gotten food poisoning on every continent except Antarctic, and his life’s goal was to get it there too. Apparently there were South American natives who cooked petrel and penguin. Rich insisted he was going to go down there and try it. The man was probably safer living in Pegasus than on earth.

Tyrel closed his computer and prepared for a stage two assault. At least his posting was predictable. Sure enough, two minutes later, Colonel Sheppard stormed through the door. Tyrel put himself directly between Sheppard and the door to McKay’s new lab.

“Move,” Sheppard ordered.

“Funny enough, I don’t work for you, so I don’t take your orders.”

Sheppard was nearly vibrating with rage, but honestly, what could he do? It wasn’t like Sheppard would shoot him, and he was half Tyrel’s size, so he couldn’t physically push through.

“If you won’t move, then call McKay and get his ass out here.”

“Oh, you ask so nicely, but I’m going to have to decline. He has blocked out the next three hours for an experiment.”

“So he’s hiding behind you, is that it?” Sheppard moved right into Tyrel’s face.

“My job is to enforce his schedule, exactly like I’ve done with every superior officer I’ve ever worked for. Does every private or airman in your command come straight to you, Colonel?”

“I’m not a random airman.” Sheppard’s voice was low and dangerous now. Unfortunately for him, Tyrel had been threatened by senators and generals alike.

“No, but you are not on McKay’s schedule, and you have no standing to demand anything of him.”

Sheppard’s exaggerated flinch spoke louder than he probably understood. Earlier, Tyrel had tried poking Rodney to see if he understood the colonel’s emotions, but all he’d gotten back were confused looks. It was like watching blind men try to find each other for a waltz—lots of bumbling, stepping on each other’s toes and blame. “As far as I’m concerned, he’s still part of my team.”

“Then you shouldn’t have said ‘no’ when he asked if you trusted him,” Tyrel said.

Sheppard threw up his hands. “Don’t act like you understand any of this. You weren’t here.”

That was a stupid argument, and Tyrel didn’t argue with stupid. He just stared at Sheppard.

“He blew up a solar system!”

“Is that the message you want me to pass along?” Tyrel asked sweetly. He even managed to avoid saying that Sheppard had woken the Wraith and sent men to their deaths to get iratus eggs to save him. He didn’t bring up that it was Rodney’s idea to cloak the city or how he had managed to get the generators to work with the ZPM. He shouldn’t have to say those things, and until these people remembered on their own, they weren’t going to show Rodney the respect he deserved.

Sheppard tried to shove past him, but Tyrel caught him by the wrist and pushed him away. When Sheppard brought his hands up, ready for battle, Tyrel suspected he might have misjudged the situation.

“Sheppard,” Ronon said from the door. Thank god for small favors, Tyrel suspected that either Weir or Radek had called Ronon. 

“Not now, Ronon.”

“Not worth it. You know Weir’s going to have to do something if you hit one of your own guys.”

“He’s not one of mine,” Sheppard practically snarled.

“No, I’m Dr. McKay’s,” Tyrel said firmly. Sheppard gave him one stricken look and then stormed out of the office.

“He’s not safe to annoy like that,” Ronon warned.

“I know. But I can’t let him take that attitude into Rodney’s office.”

Ronon considered him for a time, but that didn’t bother Tyrel. He sank back down behind his desk and opened his computer. He had a lot of reports to log and people to check on before he had his afternoon report for McKay. Five minutes later, Ronon was still there. Tyrel looked up.

“Sheppard doesn’t know why he’s angry.”

Tyrel sighed. “I know that too, but I can’t fix it. He’s career military, and he knew the rules when he signed up, just like I did.”

“Keeping them apart is going to make this worse.”

“For him? Yeah, it is,” Tyrel admitted. “But Dr. McKay has already sacrificed too much to try and be the sort of man Sheppard wants.”

“Sheppard likes McKay the way he is.”

Tyrel wished that was the case. “No, he wants McKay to never make mistakes. That’s not possible, and the fear of making a mistake is going to cripple Dr. McKay.”

Ronon seemed to think about that for a second, but then he said, “He doesn’t seem afraid of much except lemons.”

“If you believe that, you’re not nearly as insightful as I assumed,” Tyrel said.

For a time, Ronon stood there as silent as a shadow. But Tyrel had too much work to worry about it. The department heads were still trying to neglect their paperwork and send all reports to McKay without reading them. Tyrel had used a computer virus to insert a few random paragraphs into the reports of scientists under those he suspected, so he now knew that Katie Brown and Peter Kavanagh had forwarded reports from their divisions without checking the work.

“Dr. Brown, this is Mr. Brown, could I have a word please,” he called on the radio. It took several minutes before the woman answered, and Tyrel used the time to make an entry into the private personnel files. When McKay had to write evaluations, this would provide concrete data for him. And Tyrel had warned all the scientists that calling Dr. McKay without contacting their division heads first, having a repair fail, or neglecting their paperwork would be noted on their performance review. Of course he hadn’t expected them to believe him. For all his bluster and fury, McKay didn’t know how to hit these people where it hurt. Tyrel did.


	7. Chapter 7

Teyla came into the office, her arms laden with bundles. “I come bearing a meal.” Tyrel didn’t understand why she’d brought so much food until he saw Ronon following right behind her.

“You brought food. How thoughtful,” Tyrel said as he stood to take some from her. She slapped his hand away while balancing it all. 

“Rich said to assure you that I was not allowed to prepare any of it. Ronon and Rich made this food, so I am contributing by carrying it.”

“Where is Rich?” Tyrel asked as he moved to open the inner door to Rodney’s lab.

“He is learning to make tuttleroot soup. It requires much tending and patience. He sends his regrets at not joining us for lunch.”

“I like your husband,” Ronon added.

“My husband likes your appetite,” Tyrel told Ronon. “Dr. McKay, is this a good time for lunch? And before you answer, you should know that Rich has sent lunch.”

Rodney’s head popped up from behind a computer. “Rich made it? Gimme!” 

Teyla laughed as she came in after Tyrel. “You are easily seduced by food,” she said.

“Hell yes. Rich has cooked for princes and presidents. He can make anything taste amazing.”

“That’s the advantage of learning local foods well enough to identify important herbs and flavors,” Tyrel said, but he was proud of his partner. The man was in heaven with a new galaxy of foods to explore, and Weir had finally swallowed her pride and offered him a job running the kitchens. Tyrel hoped that her willingness to bend on that issue meant she was reconsidering some of her actions. In the month since Tyrel and Rich had arrived, he had managed to get most of Atlantis to show Rodney a little more respect. In return, Rodney was a little more relaxed, a little less likely to snap at everyone who crossed his path. However, Weir and Sheppard were holding a grudge longer than reasonable.

“Hi.” Rodney looked at his former teammates with a guarded suspicion that made Tyrel’s heart ache. 

Teyla ignored the look, deposited the food on the only bare table and hurried over to touch foreheads with him. “I often miss your insights during our missions, but I was especially aware of your absence during this last mission.”

“Oh? Well of course you would miss me. Captain What’s-her-name is not nearly as skilled as I am.”

Ronon started unpacking food. “A princess tried to get in Sheppard’s pants.”

Rodney rolled his eyes. “Oh, of course she did. That man is a certifiable Kirk. He’s spreading venereal diseases to whole new worlds.”

“He seemed more confused than interested,” Ronon said, and then he was filling his plate with massive quantities of food. 

“Hey, that’s for me,” Rodney objected, and then he was pushing in, laying claim to his own pile of food. Tyrel was sorry that Rich wasn’t here to enjoy the competition. He did love it when people appreciated his food. He had applied everything he knew about the science of food to transform local foods into something more palatable for earth folks. There were little used herbs that mimicked the sweet flavors of sugar or honey people craved. He’d identified all sorts of new food sources, some of them quite cheap because they were unpopular with Pegasus natives.

“Oh god, this is heaven,” Rodney said as he bit into a local game bird.

“Rich is quite skilled. His reputation is growing on a number of worlds,” Teyla said. “Cooking is a well-respected art.”

Rodney hummed around his food, and Ronon looked at him and smiled. 

“I think the command chair we found was more interesting than the princess,” Teyla said. Rodney’s gaze locked onto her and his mouth fell open, which was not the most pleasing of table manners. “The local people had disconnected it and were using it as a throne. They tried to claim John as their rightful king, and if not for the infighting amongst members of the royal family, we might have been trapped there.”

Rodney swallowed before asking with his mouth half-full, “What happened to the chair, the technology?”

“Captain Nejem blew up the north side of the tower, and they decided to give the colonel back.”

“Of course she did. Military minds. Blow up everything, why don’t you?”

“I agree. The violence was not necessary.”

“They had Sheppard,” Ronon argued.

“Half this galaxy has captured Sheppard. I think he likes it,” Rodney complained. “I’m trying to enjoy my food. Can we talk about something else?”

Teyla gave him a teasing smile before informing him, “We have planted more lectia on the mainland. We hope for a good harvest this year.”

Rodney glared. “Do you really think that’s better?”

“I assumed it would not interfere with your digestion,” Teyla said sweetly.

“Well I should go guard the front,” Tyrel said as soon as he’d filled his plate.

“Stay and share a meal with us,” Teyla said, but Tyrel shook his head. 

“I have work. It’s coming time for staff evaluations, and I need to make sure that I have all the records in place. A few scientists still have not submitted their year-end reports and I need to track them down and remind them that tardiness with paperwork will reflect poorly on their evaluation. So as much as I appreciate the invitation, I’ll leave you guys to your conversation.” Tyrel was being honest. He sometimes wondered how Rodney got any work done. Scientists would half-ass some repair job and just wait for Rodney to get frustrated enough to fix it himself. They would send him poorly done math and wait for him to find the mistakes rather than checking their own work. The science section had been a mess.

And while a big part of that was Rodney’s fault, Tyrel also blamed Dr. Weir. She knew he lacked the personal skills to handle a department, yet as far as Tyrel could see, she had done nothing to help him. And just as speaking of the devil made him appear, Tyrel no more than thought that before Dr. Weir was calling him. At least she no longer tried to bypass Tyrel’s comm, although she had requested Radek hack into the comm system. Clearly she didn’t know Radek had been the one to redirect all comm traffic in the first place.

“One of the other teams has found two people in stasis pods and Rodney needs to come check this technology,” Dr. Weir said. “Now,” she added tersely. Tyrel was well aware that his presence was aggravating Dr. Weir, but he found himself amused by that.

“Of course, Dr. Weir. Unfamiliar technology is Dr. McKay’s primary responsibility. I’ll interrupt his lunch and he’ll be in the gate room within ten minutes.”

“Weir out.”

With a sigh, Tyrel commed Rodney. “Dr. McKay, one of the teams brought back functional stasis pods. Dr. Weir requests you come to the Gate room immediately.”

Tyrel hadn’t even finished before Rodney was striding through the office, one of Rich’s oversized tuttle cookies in hand. “Stay here and finish chasing down those slackers,” Rodney said before he was out the door.

“He seems happier,” Teyla offered as she wandered out of the lab. “Is this something of interest?”

“Are you interested in stasis pods?” Tyrel asked.

“Not as much as I am interested in enjoying Rich’s food,” Teyla said with a sparkle in her eye. “No doubt they shall call us if it becomes interesting.” She brought her plate from the other room and settled into one of the visitor chairs. “You have been good for Rodney. I had not realized he was so stressed until you came.”

“I did.” Ronon said as he followed. “I just thought that was normal for him.”

“I don’t think anyone can work sixteen hour days for months on end without getting a little cranky,” Tyrel said. “Of course if he had told people to stop in a tone of voice that was significantly different than the one he used to complain about his back or demand coffee, they probably would have figured out he was serious about not being able to keep up with the work.”

Teyla frowned. “It bothers me that we have neglected to see his pain. I do not understand why John is so reluctant to admit the harm we have done.”

“Because he’s thinking with his dick,” Ronon said.

Teyla glared at him.

“I’m serious. The sperm has backed up to his brain.” Ronon tapped the side of his head.

The first time Ronon had announced that, Tyrel had almost snorted Athosian tea out his nose, but apparently that was a common saying on Sateda, and it only meant that Sheppard had blue balls. Tyrel had to agree with that.

“John’s anger is irrational, but he has always had difficulty actually trusting people. And once he gives his trust, he relies on it completely. He feels betrayed.”

“Because Rodney wasn’t perfect,” Tyrel said. He’d said that to a lot of people. For the most part, the scientists had understood that Rodney wasn’t truly to blame. Besides, they could now unite over hating Tyrel. Apparently he was a petty dictator with no education and delusions of grandeur. It didn’t escape Tyrel’s notice that their description of him so closely matched the descriptions of Dr. McKay in many respects. And all Tyrel had done was insist they perform their duties as described by the charter. Section heads received a stipend to supervise their units, not so they could pass on all problems to Rodney. Tyrel simply enforced the rules.

“It is hard for friends to accept change. John is less accepting than most.”

“He’s an ass,” Tyrel said.

Ronon grunted without adding anything.

“He is someone who believed he could put his faith in Rodney, only to find that Rodney is as human as the rest of us,” Teyla said. “If you would encourage Rodney to forgive John, the healing would benefit both of them.”

“I’m not keeping him away,” Tyrel said. Teyla raised her eyebrows at him. “During private hours, I’m not keeping him away. If Colonel Sheppard comes down here during office hours, it’s my job to keep him out so he’s not a distraction.”

“And during off hours, John is too self-conscious to seek out Rodney.”

Tyrel put his fork down. “That sounds like a personal problem.”

Teyla sighed. “I have given you time to help Rodney recover from the harm that came when he suffered the anger of Elizabeth and John, but if you keep Colonel Sheppard away, you will do Rodney an even greater harm.”

Tyrel studied Teyla. Her heart was in the right place, but he wasn’t sure she understood. “When I was younger, there was a man I loved. He was in my unit, one rank above me. We crossed swords several times, as Ronon would describe it.”

Teyla watched him attentively, but Tyrel had to take a second to compose his thoughts. “This man would seek me out for comfort or join me in my bed, but the second he felt insecure, he would mock me in public or make sure that everyone else in the unit knew that I was below him. He was so afraid of someone finding out he was gay that he made me feel like a piece of trash.”

Teyla gave him a sympathetic look. “I understand.”

“No,” Tyrel cut her off before she could say more. “You don’t understand. Years after that, I did the same thing to a man I liked. I would catch myself staring at him, and then I would have to do something to put some distance between us so the other guys wouldn’t guess. I convinced them that he was like a little brother, and that included endless teasing and torturing. Luckily for him, he had more self-esteem than I’d had when I was being emotionally abused. He transferred out and I got written up for hazing. Rich is the first stable relationship I’ve had, and before I retired, I didn’t treat him well. I missed his birthday because I wouldn’t tell the General that the man I loved had a special day. So instead, I spent Rich’s birthday reorganizing the General’s notes for a budget committee hearing.”

Now Teyla looked bothered, so maybe he was getting through to her.

“This is what the US military does to people with this Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell bullshit. You can have a career or you can treat the person you love like a human being, but it’s hard as hell to do both. Rich and I wouldn’t have made it if I hadn’t retired.”

When Tyrel stopped, Ronon’s chewing was the only sound. Teyla’s expression was guarded and sad.

“Stupid rule,” Ronon said.

“I agree. However, if my job is to protect Rodney, how can I protect him from that?”

“I wish I knew,” Teyla said softly.

“Yeah, I wish you did too.” 

“McKay to Tyrel, bring me those alien culture writing samples. These stasis pods aren’t Ancient.” With a click, Rodney was gone without waiting for an answer. Tyrel took it as a compliment that Rodney didn’t feel a need to repeat directions or micromanage. He was finally starting to trust Tyrel’s competence, and that was a hard-won victory on Tyrel’s part. 

“Sorry, but duty calls,” he said as he grabbed a table and headed for the door.

“Tyrel,” Teyla called.

He turned and looked at her. “I shall meditate on this, but some souls call to each other.”

Ronon then ruined the moment by adding, “Assuming they aren’t too stupid to listen.”


	8. Chapter 8

Tyrel stood next to the nurse’s station and tried to make himself inconspicuous. Normally he tended to stand out, but a large number of Marines were stopping by to informally check on their commander. The being that had taken over Dr. Weir had ordered them to capture Sheppard, and Tyrel could read the guilt in every person who passed through and tried to get a glimpse of Sheppard or Weir.

But the only one Tyrel worried about was McKay. When the stasis pod had put the consciousness of Phebus into Dr. Weir, Rodney had immediately assumed he would be blamed for not recognizing the danger in the alien technology. He could just as easily read the surprise and guilt on Sheppard’s face in the half second before he assured Rodney that no one blamed him.

These two were still causing each other pain. Ronon was right; they were morons. Throw in Rodney’s rather ungracious accusation that Caldwell couldn’t be trusted because he’d been taken as a goa’uld host, and Tyrel was fairly sure the entire command staff needed daily therapy sessions. 

“Hey, you’re awake.”

“Rodney?” Sheppard sounded drowsy, but then he’d started convulsing an hour after they’d brought him into the infirmary and Carson had pumped him full of anti-seizure medications. He had to be out of it.

“I brought your palm pilot. Carson says you’re fine.”

“Yeah. Fine.” Sheppard didn’t sound fine, but then neither did Rodney.

“I should… You know, I have to get some better safety protocols on some of our internal systems. I guess it never occurred to me that we might have to keep one of our own out, and considering we have the goa’uld in our galaxy, that seems like a fairly large oversight.” Rodney appeared as he backed out of the curtained off area where Sheppard had been sleeping. He turned and fled, pushing the curtains open enough that Tyrel could see Sheppard.

“Is everyone okay?” Sheppard asked. “Ronon? Is he okay?”

“He’s fine,” Tyrel said. It said a lot about this man that his first question was about his subordinate.

“Elizabeth?” Sheppard asked.

“The entity in her fought a lot harder. She had a series of seizures and they sedated her. She’ll sleep for several hours yet.”

Sheppard closed his eyes and nodded. “The one inside me would have been just as happy to see the sun one last time and then die, but if Phebus was going to try to kill him, he was going to return the favor. What a mess.”

Tyrel nodded. Part of him wanted to walk away now, but Teyla’s words and the fear on Rodney’s face haunted him. Walking now would be nothing less than cowardice, and Tyrel was no coward. Hell, no one in this city was a coward, although Rodney did a good impression of one right before throwing himself headlong into danger.

“Rodney doesn’t understand why you’re uncomfortable in the same room with him,” Tyrel said in a calm voice. Sheppard tensed without answering.

“Look, I appreciate that you have Rodney’s back, but you need to keep your nose out of my life, Sergeant.” Sheppard had a pretty good pissed-off superior tone of voice. However, in this case, he was totally in the wrong.

“First Sergeant,” Tyrel corrected him, “and using your rank to avoid this issue… it doesn’t reflect well on you, Colonel. You’re hurting Rodney, and as his aide, it is my job to keep shithead from making him feel like a failure who doesn’t deserve trust.”

“Don’t start with that. I said something stupid, but Rodney is not nearly as fragile as you seem to think.”

Tyrel sighed. “Then why is it that he assumed you were going to blame him for Dr. Weir being infected with an alien consciousness. He was waiting for it, you know.”

Sheppard looked at the far wall.

“I get it, you know.”

Sheppard snorted.

“Hell, I did the same thing. I’m not sure if it was lucky or unlucky, but the object of my inappropriate interest had better self-esteem than Rodney. He filed harassment charges. Back then, there was no don’t-ask, don’t tell. There were investigations, witch hunts, dishonorable discharges. But there was also this assumption that gay men were weak. So they put it down as me hazing a younger airman and gave me a slap on the wrist.”

“Not applicable to this situation,” Sheppard said stiffly. 

“Give it up, Sheppard. Half this base thinks you kicked Rodney off your team because you had a lover’s tiff. Another quarter thinks Rodney dumped you. Neither of you are hiding your feelings.”

Sheppard’s expression was pure hatred.

“And for all their assumptions, they aren’t asking, Colonel. They respect the hell out of you and have no interest in interfering in your love life.”

“You don’t seem reluctant to make a few assumptions of your own.”

Tyrel sat in the visitor’s chair so he didn’t have to loom over the colonel. “I’m a gay man, Colonel. Do you really think I can’t see your conflict? You don’t know how close you’re allowed to be, so you inch closer to Rodney until you’re afraid you’re too close and then you shove him away.”

Sheppard shook his head without answering.

“The problem is that Rodney thinks that you’re trying to forgive him and failing because he’s unforgiveable.”

Sheppard sat up fast. “We watched a movie three days ago!”

“And yesterday he assumed you were going to blame him because he couldn’t psychically intuit the function of alien technology he’d never seen before.”

Sheppard sank back. “Then tell him.”

“Tell him what? That the military leader is too big of a coward to talk about his feelings?” 

A mirthless laugh was Sheppard’s first answer. Then he said, “Sure, tell him that.”

Tyrel leaned back. “And he won’t believe me. You walk on water as far as Rodney is concerned.”

“Yeah, I really don’t.”

“I know that. I happen to think you’re an ass, but since I was the same sort of ass twenty years ago, I don’t have a whole lot of room to complain about the size of your closet.”

Sheppard shook his head. “You don’t understand.”

Tyrel had gotten enough of this excuse from Weir. She might have calmed down quite a bit, but she still made her displeasure clear whenever Tyrel was in the same room. He had no idea why these people thought their problems were so damn unique. “Let’s see. You could be telling yourself that you can’t risk your friendship with Rodney. If that’s the case, he’s a word of warning. His self-esteem is low enough that all you’re doing is driving him toward any random person who can show him a little love.” Tyrel’s greatest fear was that Katie Brown would slip in there. Rodney would shred her and leave her emotionally wrecked. He would then hate himself forever. The same with Miko. Why these timid women lusted after Rodney was a complete mystery, but then Tyrel never had understood women very well.

“I suppose you’re ready to step into the void,” Sheppard said nastily 

Tyrel laughed. “Seriously? I am in love with Rich, and someone who wants a Rich in his bed would never go for a Rodney.”

Sheppard wrinkled his nose.

“You know it’s true. You look at Rich and think he’s boring, don’t you?”

The colonel had a sheepish expression, as he admitted, “All he does is cook.”

“Exactly. He cooks. And I do paperwork on the counter while he cooks. Then I eat what he cooks and we watch television until we fall asleep.”

The look Sheppard gave him was full of pity. 

“Being in a relationship with Rodney would be too much like work, and I get the feeling that’s how most people react to him, but I’ve seen you look at Rodney like he’s the last piece of chocolate cake, so I have to assume you think of it a little differently.”

“I don’t want him that way,” Sheppard said firmly, “but he’s fun. He doesn’t let people tell him how he’s supposed to react to things.”

“He lets you do exactly that,” Tyrel said.

Sheppard just stared at him.

Well Tyrel had done his best. “Be stubborn—but Rodney will suffer for that as much as you will. He’s going to chase the first asshole that shows him a little compassion and he’s going to get hurt or he’s going to hurt someone because he can’t stop loving you.” 

Tyrel had just gone through the curtain when he heard Sheppard say softly, “He’s safer with someone else than he is with me.”

Lord what fools these mortals be, Tyrel thought to himself. Unfortunately, he didn’t know Sheppard well enough to break through that stubborn wall he’d built. Luckily he knew a couple of people who might be better suited to get the colonel’s head out of his ass.


	9. Chapter 9

Rodney stormed out of his office, reports in hand. “Eight times. Eight times his repairs failed and nearly thirty percent of his reports have errors. When this is all laid out in black and white, his stupidity is even more egregious. Why do we still have this moron on the city? Fire him.” Rodney shoved a file into Tyrel’s hands. Tyrel glanced down to see Dr. Weinberg’s name. Senator Weinberg would be unamused, but then that was half the fun of working for Rodney. Tyrel had never before gotten to indulge in his judgmental and vindictive streak quite this much. 

“He’ll leave with the Daedalus,” Tyrel promised. “If I could make a recommendation…” He waited to see if Rodney was open to his ideas.

“Yes, yes. Busy man here. Spit it out.”

“Suggest to Dr. Weir that we get two technicians instead of hiring another herpetologist.”

Rodney snorted. “I hate to admit it, but we should have someone to handle scaly things. Do we have another herpetologist?”

“Drs. Reed and Ishikawa both have degrees in herpetology, although Dr. Reed is an ornithologist and Dr. Ishikawa is a veterinarian.”

“Close enough. Write up the report and let’s see if we can’t get someone useful for a change.”

“Colonel Sheppard sent another request,” Tyrel said, timing his announcement for the moment when Rodney’s guard was down because he thought all the problems were dealt with. 

Rodney froze, his hand caught mid-flail. It took several seconds for him to get his bluster back up to speed. “Yes, well as I told Colonel Sheppard, it is not my job to run around after him and clean up his mess. He has his Army chick.”

“Air Force captain.”

Rodney hand waved the correction away.

“And unlike Ronon and Teyla, she tends to stick to military protocol a little more firmly,” Tyrel added.

“Meaning?” 

“Meaning she was shot and she’s planning on serving the entire two month medical stand down.”

Rodney grunted.

“She’s fine, by the way,” Tyrel said.

“Better her than me,” Rodney said. When pushed, Rodney really did say some pretty shitty things. Luckily Tyrel believed that actions spoke louder than words, and Rodney’s actions were kinder than his words. “Seriously, if the team is that careless with one of Sam Carter’s beloved protégés, do you think I would be any safer?”

“I think that changed Wraith-human creature never would have gotten a chance to shoot you because the other three would have covered your six instead of expecting you to be able to handle your own. Captain Nejem is a capable officer and excellent marksman, so they weren’t as careful with her safety.”

“Maybe they should be because her ducking skills need work.”

“That is the most important skill for consultants when in the field with military units,” Tyrel agreed. “But the colonel has a visit scheduled to a planet with a working outpost. Well, partially working. They’ve requested technical assistance. Since he currently has no scientists assigned to his team, he’s requesting you. This is the sort of mission that could justify the time of the head of science.”

Rodney crossed his arms and looked miserable. Tyrel was starting to doubt this campaign to get Rodney back on Sheppard’s team. He had a lot of respect for Teyla and her ability to read her team mates, but that didn’t mean the woman couldn’t make a mistake. If Rodney was this upset at the idea of going on a mission, he had no business in the field.

“I can put together a list of scientists who have shown an interest in getting some off world experience,” Tyrel offered instead. 

“No, it’s fine. I’ll go. I’m sure if we send someone else, they’ll just end up dialing back and asking for help anyway,” Rodney complained. While Rodney fell silent, Tyrel got the feeling that he had a lot more to say. For all his bluster, the man didn’t know how to discuss anything that really mattered.

“Did you ever fight on the front lines?” Rodney asked. Tyrel was surprised because up until this point, Rodney had shown very little interest in Tyrel’s past. Hell, the first week or two he couldn’t even get Tyrel’s name right. Brown. Tyrel Brown. His name was the antithesis of difficult, and Rodney had managed to call him everything from Tyler Green to Tybalt Duke. He had to be doing it on purpose because no one who could recite the atomic weights of elements from memory would get a simple name that wrong.

“I trained for computers. I did logistical support for field units during Operation Desert Shield, and I’m weapons certified, but I never actually went into the field with the intention of fighting.”

“Oh. You look…” Rodney finished that with a scowl and a flap of his hand.

“Big? Scary?” Tyrel offered.

“Both. I thought maybe you had been out with teams.”

“I have gone out with teams, but I was the one with a laptop charged with locking down information we confiscated from the enemy,” Tyrel said. He supposed that made him a very poor man’s version of Rodney. Of course all he had to do was secure and log the information and then pack it for analysis back at the base.

“There’s a lot of teasing on all teams, right?”

Tyrel studied Rodney for a second as he tried to figure out how much to say. “Yeah, there is,” he said. “One of my only disciplinary records is for hazing. I let a situation get out of hand.”

Rodney grimaced at the word ‘hazing.’ There was a story there.

Tyrel continued. “The sad thing is I liked the guy. But sometimes when you’re stressed you take it out on the people you like.”

“Okay, that makes no sense!” Rodney exclaimed. “Why would someone do that? If you like someone, what is the point of hazing them? Why would you say things that are cruel?” Rodney’s voice rose, real anger and frustration fueling elaborate gesticulations.

Tyrel shrugged. “Lots of reasons. Sometimes a guy doesn’t know how to be nice. Sometimes he got hazed and he just starts thinking it’s normal.” Tyrel hesitated before adding the last reason. “Sometimes guys like someone too much and he can’t afford to get caught showing affection, so he acts like a shithead.”

Rodney snorted. “That’s sure not the case here.” Without another word, Rodney turned and headed into his office.

For an intelligent man, Rodney McKay was a moron. Tyrel just hoped that Teyla would do something to smooth things out. This was like being trapped in some high school drama—a gay Romeo and Juliet. Considering how well that had ended, Tyrel would prefer to skip the inevitable miscommunication, angst and death. It particularly bothered him that Rodney walked on eggshells every time Sheppard was in the room, as if Rodney felt there was something wrong with being himself.

Personally, Tyrel figured Sheppard and McKay were at least equally incompetent. He nursed a fantasy of shoving them in a small room with one bed and a hell of a lot of sex toys. Maybe then they’d figure it out.

Or not. They were stubborn enough that faced with a large number of butt plugs, they would probably use them as bowling pins.


	10. Chapter 10

Rodney stormed into Tyrel’s office, his sidearm still strapped to his side. That had to be a security violation, but no one came chasing after him. Still, at the sight of a weapon, Tyrel bolted to his feet.

“Never again!” Rodney said. Shouting was Rodney’s default, but right now he was quiet and intense. The hairs on Tyrel’s arms stood at attention.

“Are you okay?” Reports had said that the whole team had escaped the exploding volcano without a scratch using the Ancient warship; however, Rodney looked a little scratched—at least emotionally.

“The next time Sheppard requests science support, you assign someone. Maybe Kavanagh. He’s almost not horrible at science, even if he is an arrogant ass, and when I notice someone’s arrogance, that’s pretty bad.”

“He is hard to take,” Tyrel agreed, “and I doubt he would agree to join an off-world team.”

Rodney snorted. “Remind him that cross-training leads to better performance evaluations, and while I might forget to track all that pointless crap, you don’t.”

Tyrel wasn’t sure he would call his job ‘pointless crap,’ but Rodney had a point. When Rodney had handled the paperwork, scientists knew that Rodney would largely ignore them as long as their research didn’t infringe on his science. It gave the biological science department full rein to do anything, at least when Carson wasn’t looking. Carson had basically promoted himself to a department head out of sheer necessity because Rodney didn’t have the time or energy to care about what he called soft sciences.

“I’ll remind him,” Tyrel said, “but I’m sure Colonel Sheppard would rather have you for as long as the captain is on medical stand down.”

“Why? He doesn’t respect me.”

“What? OF course he does.” The colonel had a lot of issues—a whole shit ton of them—but Tyrel had never believed the colonel doubted Rodney’s science. If he had, he would have told Teyla to keep the asshole as far from Rodney as possible.

“No he doesn’t. Most people don’t. You probably don’t,” Rodney said softly.

Tyrel stepped in front of Rodney. He needed the man to hear this. “If I have ever made you doubt my respect for you, you need to write me up and be very detailed about what I did to give you that impression. That way I can avoid ever making you doubt my respect in the future. You do one hell of a job here, and I understand how much you put into this work, so I respect the hell out of you.”

Rodney frowned. “But you have to do all my paperwork.”

“Most generals are the same. Hell, most colonels are. They are promoted for their skills, and that rarely means a skill with paperwork. That’s what the sergeants are around to handle.”

“Yeah, but people respect Radek or Kavanagh more. After all, they never blew up a solar system.” 

A flash of anger warmed Tyrel’s face. Who the hell had brought up Doranda? Rodney had said it with an unhappy expression and a raised chin, so Tyrel guessed he was remembering something specific, something from this mission. He was doing his best to convince himself that he didn’t care if no on respected him rather than demanding a little respect. And that made no sense because the reports from the Gate room said that Rodney had fixed the shields, calculated the escape velocity using the blast of a volcano as his only propulsion and then charted a hyperdrive jump to escape the toxic atmosphere. Tyrel was a complete novice when it came to flying spaceships, but that sounded pretty fucking impressive.

Before Tyrel could even decide how to handle the sheer stupidity of the situation, Rodney sighed and headed for his lab. “Don’t let anyone bother me, and send for some dinner. I’m hungry.” He closed the door, and Tyrel was left in the outer office, nearly trembling with anger. He was going to punch someone. Hard. If this were about making him feel better, he might actually do it. However, his first job was Rodney and that meant that the person who fucked up needed to come fix this.

And Tyrel had one suspect for who had done the fucking.

“Mr. Brown to Colonel Sheppard. Are you available?” Tyrel could hear the tremor in his voice and he took a deep breath to calm it. 

“Sheppard here. Is this something that can wait?” 

Tyrel spoke as calmly as he could. “Colonel Sheppard, you need to get your ass down here now and talk to Rodney.”

“Actually, I think that’s what I need to avoid doing,” Shepaprd said with a laugh. “Just let him calm down and I’ll catch up with him tomorrow.”

“Seriously?”

“Hey, I’ve been wrangling Rodney since before you showed up. He’ll be in a better mood tomorrow.”

Tyrel could almost see red. If the man had been in the same room, physical violence might have been a viable option. Instead he told Sheppard, “You really are an ass.”

“Sergeant!”

“Oh, stuff it. You are horrible at wrangling Rodney, as you call it. He’ll have fewer insults for you tomorrow because he will have spent the night convincing himself that you’re the almighty hero, which leaves him the possible roles of villain or comic relief. He’ll second guess everything he said on this last mission, and I may not know what was said, but I’m guessing that you contributed to the general atmosphere of stupidity, Colonel Sheppard.”

When Sheppard spoke again, his voice had no inflection—no emotion at all, which was the best indicator possible that he was as worked up as Rodney. Ass. “I’ll talk to him tomorrow,” Sheppard said.

“Great. You’ll talk to the version of Rodney who has already decided to take all the blame for the fact that both of you lack any social skills. You’ll talk to Rodney when it’s easy and you can avoid accepting responsibility for any blame. You won’t even respect Rodney enough to let him be angry.”

“He’s angry all the time!”

“You aren’t stupid enough to believe that. He’s loud and obnoxious all the time, but right now, he’s also furious. And you’re avoiding that because you are afraid of dealing with the mess you’ve made. Get your scrawny white ass down here Sheppard, or I swear to God, if you’re on fire I won’t bother to piss on you.” Tyrel disconnected his radio and then stood in the office, breathing hard and trying to figure out when he’d lost his mind. Thirty years of service and he’d never lost it like that—not in front of an officer. 

Tyrel glanced at the door to Rodney’s office. If something didn’t happen, Rodney was going to start patching over his emotions with another layer of self-hate and insecurity. Then he would plaster that with more arrogance and abhorrent manners. This posting was a nightmare, made even worse by the fact that Tyrel respected the courage and dedication of all these idiots.

Touching his radio again, Tyrel called, “Mr. Brown to Ms. Emmegan.”

“Tyrel, how may I help you?” Teyla asked just as calmly as if she hadn’t spent the day trying to get people off a planet that was in the middle of blowing up. The woman had a freakish ability to stay calm.

“I’m afraid I just told Colonel Sheppard exactly what I thought of his behavior when it came to Dr. McKay.”

There was a long silence on the other end of the radio, and Tyrel could hear the condemnation in every word Teyla didn’t say. Well tough shit. Tyrel’s job was to take care of Rodney, not worry about closeted colonels and their fragile egos. “And how honest were you?”

“I suggested that the colonel come down here and immediately speak to Rodney before Rodney starts twisting reality around to figure out all the ways this is his fault. And I might have implied that if he didn’t come, I’d be happy to watch him burn alive and do nothing.”

Again, the silence was damning.

“I shall speak to Colonel Sheppard. Teyla out.”


	11. Chapter 11

Tyrel stood when Sheppard stormed into the office, with Teyla a half step behind. “Do you have something to say, Sergeant?” Sheppard demanded.

“I already said it, Colonel,” Tyrel said, and he honestly tried to keep the hostility out of his voice. He was pretty sure he failed, though.

Teyla gave him a disappointed look. “Perhaps we should check on Rodney,” she suggested.

Tyrel stepped aside and gestured for her to go into the office. Sheppard took another second or two to glare before he followed Teyla. And when Tyrel went to follow, Sheppard glared at him again. Tough shit. Tyrel crossed his arms and used his sheer size to make it clear he wasn’t going to budge. However, Tyrel did park himself just inside the door and he braced himself to stay out of it.

Unless this turned into a pick on Rodney session. Then he might give in to his need to punch Colonel Sheppard. But as much as Tyrel really wanted to hurt the man, he knew Rodney well enough to know the idiot would probably just stick up for the colonel. Teams were like that, and even if Rodney wasn’t officially on the team now, he still was one of theirs. Tyrel could tell that from how often the others tried to include Rodney, even Colonel Sheppard had issued invitations to movie night and video game duels. 

Rodney gave Tyrel one long glare that promised creative retribution. “You had to let them in, didn’t you?”

“Yep,” Tyrel agreed. 

“Rodney, we are concerned about how things ended on Taranis.”

Rodney snorted. “You were there to see it. You were off choking to death on toxic fumes where I didn’t have any hope of getting to you. Waiting for that last family was just stupid.”

Teyla rolled her eyes. “I apologize for worrying you,” she said. The woman was definitely going for sainthood.

Sheppard was not. “Get off your damn high horse,” he snapped. 

“Don’t you start with me, Colonel Backstabber!” Rodney shouted. For a second, Sheppard fell back, clearly surprised by the outburst. He looked at Teyla, but she watched with a sad expression that didn’t show any surprise at all.

“I think you’re overreacting, Rodney.” Sheppard’s voice was so insulting that Tyrel winced.

At first, Rodney froze. Slowly, oh so slowly, the color rose in his cheeks and after several long and awkward minutes, he blew like Mount St. Helens. “We weren’t on that planet for ten minutes, and you’re undermining me—telling Norina I can’t be trusted with Ancient technology!”

“I did not!” Sheppard shouted in such an offended voice that Tyrel was almost tempted to believe him. Almost.

“You told her I blew up a solar system.”

“You did!” Sheppard countered. Teyla’s gaze pinned Sheppard, but he was clearly too angry to notice his team mate’s disappointment.

Rodney took a step forward and shoved a finger in Sheppard’s face. “And what was the point of telling Norina that? I came to provide expertise, and you made me look like an incompetent neophyte.” 

“I was trying to make her feel better about her own skills!”

“By making me feel worse?” Rodney demanded. That made Sheppard flinch, but he counterattacked immediately.

“Oh please. You know you’re good with this technology. You tell the rest of us often enough.”

“Then why did you threaten to bring in Zelenka?”

This time Sheppard definitely felt the hit. He looked around and when he made eye contact with Teyla, he took a step back. He should because Teyla had a rather murderous expression. “You were making goo eyes at their damn scientist,” Sheppard complained, and he shoved Rodney’s hand away. “Wave a pair of boobs in front of you and your IQ drops by fifty points.”

Tyrel figured that was closer to Sheppard’s real problem. Jealousy was a bitch, especially when a man was so far back in the closet he didn’t dare admit to it.

Rodney’s hands really got into the action then. “What! Oh, that’s rich, Captain Kirk. You were the one who grabbed Norina and felt her up because she had the nerve to say she wanted to work with me.”

“Under you! You said you’d love to have her under you!”

“I misspoke!”

“Oh, I think you said exactly what you meant.”

“And your reaction is to feel her up and then make googley eyes at her, Colonel Kirk.” Rodney leaned forward, little drops of spittle escaping as he screamed.

“I caught her when she almost fell!” Instead of retreating, Sheppard was leaning into the fight. Tyrel started to wonder if he shouldn’t help drag them apart, but when he looked at Teyla, she seemed calm enough considering she was ground zero of World War III.

“You made me sound like an uncaring ass who didn’t care about her people,” Rodney screamed.

“You are an uncaring ass!”

Rodney froze. He absolutely froze, and every bit of sympathy Tyrel had started to form for Sheppard evaporated in the heat of his anger.

Teyla stepped into the sudden silence. “Perhaps it is time for us to all listen to ourselves. Words have consequences, and sometimes in the heat of anger, we say things that we do not mean.”

“Oh he means it,” Rodney said quietly. “He really thinks I’m some sort of psychopath, don’t you Sheppard?”

Now Sheppard retreated. “I never said that.” He rubbed a hand over his face.

“You thought it loud enough for me to hear it.”

Sheppard threw his hands up. “That doesn’t even make sense.”

“Well, that’s me. I never make sense. Feel free to ignore and belittle me, even when I save your sorry ass.”

“Oh God. Here we go.” Sheppard whirled around and looked at Teyla. “Prepare yourself for another round of no one appreciates me.”

Rodney’s expression turned even colder. “Tell me, Colonel, what did you say to me after I managed the impossible and jury rigged a ten thousand year old ship to survive a supervolcano?”

“What? I didn’t say anything.”

“Exactly!” Rodney crowed triumphantly.

Sheppard looked confused, but then Teyla said softly, “John, did you not even thank him?”

Sheppard blushed all the way out to the tips of his ears.

All Rodney’s indignation seemed to escape and he sank down into a chair. “Just leave, Colonel.”

“It wasn’t like that. I was distracted,” Sheppard said defensively. This whole thing was circling the drain, so Tyrel decided to give Rodney the one piece of evidence he lacked to make the right conclusion.

“You were distracted by Norina because you were jealous,” Tyrel said. Sheppard shot him a nasty look, but he didn’t argue the point.

“He was panting over Norina,” Rodney said in a weary voice.

Teyla moved to Rodney’s side and knelt down, her hand on his knee. “Tyrel used the correct word, Rodney.”

Rodney studied each of them, the confusion clear in his expression.

Tyrel figured he was the one who understood Sheppard best, and since the idiot wasn’t speaking up for himself, it was up to Tyrel. “He is jealous because you and Norina can openly flirt. His job requires him to never show any sign of homosexual feelings in public because that can be interpreted as telling and he’s not allowed to do that under the Uniform Code of Conduct.”

Sheppard had turned and was studying an Ancient toy with the sort of focus that suggested that understanding the small device was the key to saving the universe.

“You two are delusional,” Rodney snapped.

“Yeah, they aren’t.” Sheppard spoke so softly that Tyrel wasn’t sure that Rodney heard. When Sheppard turned, he said a little louder, “They’re right.”

Rodney just frowned, and Sheppard rubbed the back of his neck, and this was the single most awkward moment of Tyrel’s life. That included a very bad night where an idiot mistook a sample sized shampoo bottle for lube, and there were places that soap should never go. Tyrel had thought that moment would always keep its crown as the most uncomfortable and embarrassing night of his life, but Sheppard and Rodney had managed to surpass it.

“Who are you kidding Colonel Sleeps Around?”

The colonel’s flinch was hard to miss, but Rodney missed it.

Teyla moved to Rodney’s side. “Rodney, I don’t believe the colonel has slept with anyone since arriving on Atlantis. I had thought at first he had someone at home. I did not understand the pressure your world put on warriors.”

Now Rodney looked bewildered.

“We can’t do anything. There are rules, and too many people are waiting for me to fuck up,” Sheppard said. He gave Tyrel a look when he said that. “So it’s better if there’s some distance.”

“I thought… You were upset about Doranda.” Rodney’s voice came out small.

Sighing, Sheppard sank back into a chair. “I was upset because I should have backed Elizabeth. If I have a choice between Elizabeth or Caldwell, I have to back Elizabeth. I only have this job because of her. But then you were so excited, and I loved seeing that light in your eyes when you talked about the math. And I let my dick make my decision for me.”

“You trusted your friend,” Teyla said.

“And I screwed it up,” Rodney added.

Tyrel wanted to call all three of them idiots, but this wasn’t his team. Just when Tyrel was starting to run out of patience, Rodney seemed to shake himself free of the melancholy. 

“Wait. You like me?” He advanced on Sheppard. “You like me like me?”

Sheppard sighed again. “Ferris Wheels, college football, anything that goes more than two hundred miles per hour, and Rodney McKay. All things that can potentially cause death if not properly maintained.” He looked up.

Rodney had a damn love-struck expression. As much as Tyrel knew this had been the goal, his stomach soured a little. He still hadn’t forgiven Sheppard, and now Rodney was going to forgive that man everything.

“You’re an idiot,” Rodney announced.

“I know,” Sheppard confessed.

“You both lack certain skills that make me doubt your upbringing,” Teyla said. “But if you are finally speaking, I assume you can discuss this issue without any more idiocy from either of you. I am going to take a bath.” Teyla turned toward the door, and her arched eyebrow and firm look made it clear that she expected Tyrel to get out. Tyrel gave Sheppard one more nasty look before he went back out to his office. Teyla followed, closing the door behind her.

“If Sheppard hurts Rodney—”

“I shall be most upset with him, just as I will be upset if Rodney hurts John,” Teyla said. But now is not the time to make such proclamations. Now is the time for some rest before those two get it in their heads to do something else foolish. Go home to Rich. He will, no doubt, enjoy this story. And Ronon will enjoy getting the story out of Rich in return.”

She was right about that, but Tyrel hesitated.

Teyla put a hand on his arm. “They are team. Trust their love for each other, even if their ability to talk is severely limited.”

After a second, Tyrel grabbed the files from the top of his desk and shoved them into a locking drawer.

“If Rodney is in a tizzy tomorrow, I’m going to be after your hide along with Sheppard’s.”

Teyla smiled. “No doubt. We all need someone to stand in the place of a parent. It is good Rodney has one. And I shall stand for John. And that means that if John is the one hurt, I expect you to handle Rodney or I shall come after you.”

“Huh. Where does that put Ronon?” Tyrel asked as he escorted Teyla out of the office.

“In the part of a very amused younger brother who will gossip unforgivably.”

On another base that would worry Tyrel, but as far as he could see, everyone gossiped about Sheppard and Rodney already. For two men who hadn’t slept together, they sure generated a whole lot of asking and telling. However the regs were clear. Telling only counted if you were the one doing the talking or if your CO hated you. With Weir around, Tyrel figured they were safe enough.

“We will have to find some reason to celebrate that is unrelated enough to honor your Code of Conduct while still making it clear to those in the city that we are in support of this union,” Teyla said.

“Ah, a state dinner. Rich and I are amazingly good at those. You let us handle the details,” Tyrel said.

Teyla smiled at him. “I accept your offer.”


End file.
